The invention relates generally to a camera stand apparatus and method for supporting a video camera, and more particularly to a camera stand method and apparatus useful in a videoconferencing system.
It is desireable to provide a camera stand for use in a low cost videoconferencing system that allows a single video camera to be aimed alternately at a document scene and a room scene. The room scene will typically include a person who is using the document for explanatory purposes. Prior apparatus for allowing this alternate aiming has suffered in that the document scene would be up-side-down or mirror-image reversed relative to the room scene. Accordingly, electronic scanning correction was introduced to compensate for the up-side-down or mirror-image reversals. The document scene of prior apparatus has also suffered from a poor field of view and/or "keystone distortion" (rectangular documents were distorted into trapezoids--an effect similar to that obtained when an overhead projector is aimed non-perpendicularly at a projection screen or wall).